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Employees are your engine. They drive the whole operation: making sales, interacting with customers, and performing their duties. Your business isn’t going anywhere without those things happening. So, it goes without saying that investing in them will not only keep you afloat but set you up for growth and long-term success.
If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us about the modern business world, it’s that the human factor is more important than ever. Employees want to feel valued and respected, and this takes some significant engagement. In a recent Forbes Magazine interview, OnShift vice-president Peter Corless outlined that “improved engagement can be done by focusing on four concepts: communication, recognition, support, and growth.”
This engagement is just as important to a business as a solid product. Employees who are happy and satisfied with their work will likely give their best in the challenges they encounter. When given regular encouragement, feedback and recognition, many might even go beyond what they believed themselves capable of. This worker-first mentality contributes to the overall culture of your team while you continue to build a business that is stable and primed to grow.
So, how can a small business owner increase and maintain employee engagement?
Open the lines of communication
A simple first step could be to ask your employees how they feel valued in the workplace in a one-on-one. You might even consider asking them to fill out a survey to give them more space to answer. The answers you receive could give you an idea of what needs to be addressed and how you might provide the value they seek.
Make a habit of revisiting this question of value. Over time, the conversation could circle back to how the company’s mission provides value, inviting more investment from your employee to see the business succeed.
Ask for employee feedback
This takes your employee communication one step further by asking your employees to share their feedback about the business; you might want to look at ways to solicit this information anonymously to gain the most honest insights. Make it a weekly, monthly or quarterly commitment and be responsive and open-minded to their thoughts.
This practice keeps a business honest to its employees while opening up the opportunity for constructive feedback that could forward your business’s mission.
Show your employees you care about them
Find creative activities to maintain a level of caring that will motivate employees to show up every day while unifying them as a team and aligning their vision with your company's core values. Here are some ideas to show appreciation:
- Games/team-building activities: These can also be a good way to promote unity between hierarchical levels.
- Team awards: These can be motivational and celebrational, which contribute to the business’s growth and culture.
- Social media shoutouts: Not only are these great ways to publicly recognize employees’ accomplishments, they can also bring awareness to your business in the public eye.
- Host annual retreats: These serve as a chance to get out of the workspace and connect. These get-togethers could encourage new collaborations, discoveries and business solutions.
Give employees the tools they need to succeed
Put your team first by supplying them with the tools they need to succeed. These tools will keep your operation up to date while also doubling down on the efficiency and effectiveness of your people. When evaluating your tools, review these three categories:
- Physical tools: These could be anything from contractor tools and phones to laptops and desk spaces. Everything should meet (or go above) the standards needed to perform the job successfully.
- Updated software: From software to apps to task management platforms, make sure you’re using software that’s current and relevant to the market. Encourage employees to explore and stay abreast of what’s current and effective.
- The right resources: Do employees know where to go with their questions? Are there times when they’ll need to seek assistance? Provide them with the best resources possible and create an outline for them to use when they need to reach out to someone.
Provide professional development opportunities
Employees want to feel they are valued members of the team with continued learning opportunities. These show you are invested in them for the long haul. And as for the growth of your company, when employees are invited to grow within their roles and develop their skills, this is a win for your organization, too, as you level up your people and their skills.
Make a plan to identify professional development opportunities with your workers and then pursue them when schedules and budgets allow.
Allow your employees to have more control by offering them choices
Everyone likes to feel like they are in control of their environment, and this feeling extends to the workplace, which means that by regimenting your team members' activities, you’re only feeding into an environment of tension, stress, and a routine of showing up only for the paycheck.
To prevent this form of stagnation, present your employees with choices that are meaningful to them, especially those that might increase productivity. These days, remote work is one solution that’s given many employees the time and space to thrive in a way that works for them. Still, there are even more ways to give employees autonomy like accommodating flexible hours and individual task management and technology preferences.
To accomplish your company’s goals, though, the key is to create a foundation of trust. Once established, this aligns your common purpose – all while letting your employees be productive in the way that works best for them.
For more information
For more information to help your small business, check out the BBB business news feed and the BizHQ.
BBB Great West + Pacific contributed this article.